JP6941603B2 - Containers with stiffeners and methods for reinforcing containers - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a container, particularly a plastic fuel container, which has a stiffening device that penetrates inside the container between the opposing first and second wall components of the container and connects the wall components to each other. The container can receive increased internal pressure without damage. The present invention also relates to a method for reinforcing a container.

With plastic fuel containers, there is an increasing need to be able to use the plastic fuel containers at higher internal pressures. The reason for this is found in the operation of so-called hybrid vehicles, which have both an internal combustion engine and an electric drive, which can be used at least sometimes on their own. During the operation of the internal combustion engine, the fuel vapor produced in the fuel container is supplied to the activated carbon filter, from which it is sometimes supplied to the internal combustion engine, so that excess pressure is not created in the fuel container. This does not occur with pure electrical operation, and fuel vapor cannot simply be discharged into the environment, so the solution to this problem is to contain the fuel vapor in a fuel container, where it allows for increased internal pressure. .. For this purpose, the fuel container must be correspondingly designed to be pressure resistant. It is desirable to avoid increasing wall thickness in order to reduce weight and material costs. Therefore, a reinforcing device that acts on the container internally or externally is preferable.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a container with useful and cost effective reinforcement.

To achieve this goal, we propose a combination of features identified in claims 1 and 13. Advantageous embodiments and developments of the present invention arise from the dependent claims.

The present invention is primarily based on the idea that in general at least one insert is already provided in a fuel container, particularly a so-called tank module that is substantially pot-shaped and forms a fuel container and includes a fuel pump. This insert may be used as an element of the stiffener. According to the present invention, the reinforcing device has a first reinforcing element arranged on the first wall component and a second reinforcing element arranged on the second wall component, and the first reinforcing element and the second reinforcing element are mutually arranged. It has a working coupling portion, the second reinforcing element can be connected to the first reinforcing element with high tensile strength, and in the connected state, the flange cover seals the opening of the second wall component. The opening of the second wall component is generally already provided as an installation opening or an access opening for the insert.

Since it is difficult to achieve a liquidtight seal with the flange cover alone, the opening of the second wall component is appropriately surrounded by an insert ring embedded in the wall component, eg, a coupling ring according to standard SAE J2587. The insert ring has a fastener that projects above the outer surface of the wall component. Further, a closing ring is provided, which interacts with the fastening part of the insert ring, surrounds the flange cover of the second reinforcing element, and presses the outer edge of the opening of the second wall part. The closure ring is a through-hole that is distributed around it and receives the hook-like projections of the insert ring, and has a through-hole that is openably locked together by rotating the closure ring. Suitably, a sealant, particularly a sealant made of an elastomeric material, is placed between the flange cover of the second reinforcing element and the second wall component.

The first reinforcing element is preferably configured as a pot-type insert, particularly as a tank module with a fuel container and a fuel pump located therein.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the first reinforcing element is secured to the undercut portion of the first wall component via an intervening annular body.

The production of the undercut portion of the first wall component is carried out in the blow molding die by a slider movably arranged on the blow molding die, which acts on the first wall component from the outside. Instead, the undercut portion may be manufactured in the first wall part by the mold part inserted into the blow molding die.

The undercut portion preferably has a substantially circular structure and consists of at least two, preferably three separate portions.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the annulus has a plurality of outward-facing retaining ribs on the wall side of the container, the free ends of which are located in a circle prior to engagement of the insert with the annulus. The diameter d of the circle is smaller than the diameter D of the circle that defines the free internal diameter of the undercut portion. Further, the annular body has a cylindrical wall portion with a through hole through which a locking projection on the outer wall portion of the insert can engage.

Appropriately, the outer wall portion of the insert having the locking projections has a substantially cylindrical structure having a diameter obtained by subtracting the thickness of the wall portion of the annular body having the through hole from the diameter D of the free inner diameter of the undercut portion at most. Have. If the dimensions described above fit each other exactly, it is guaranteed that the insert will be secured to the first wall component without any gaps.

A method for reinforcing a container, particularly a plastic fuel container, so that the container can receive increased internal pressure without damage, according to the present invention, in which the containers have first and second wall parts facing each other. ,
-The first reinforcing element of the reinforcing device is fixed to the first wall part,
-The joint portion of the second reinforcing element of the reinforcing device engages with the complementary joint portion of the first reinforcing element through an opening provided in the second wall component and aligned with the undercut portion of the first wall component. Being done
The flange cover of the second reinforcing element seals the opening of the second wall component.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an insert ring provided with a closing ring, embedded in a second wall component, connected to a fastening component of the insert ring surrounding the opening, and a flange cover of the second reinforcing element. It is pressed against the two wall parts and seals the opening by sealing together with the sealing body arranged between the second wall part and the flange cover.

Preferably, the first wall part can be molded into the first wall part in the blow molding die by the slider of the blow molding die or by the mold part inserted into the blow molding die. The part is provided inside the container.

The present invention will be described in more detail below in connection with the exemplary embodiments schematically shown in the drawings.

It is the schematic which manufactures the undercut part in the 1st wall part by the slider in the die for blow molding. It is a perspective view of the mold part for manufacturing the undercut part in the mold for blow molding. The mold parts are inserted into the blow molding mold and act on the first wall parts from the outside. It is the schematic of the undercut part of the inside (inner surface) of the first wall part. It is the schematic of the insert and the annular body in the pre-installed state. It is a figure which shows the positioning of the insert and an annulus according to FIG. 4 in the undercut part before the final mounting. It is a figure which shows the final position of the insert and an annular body according to FIG. 4 after attachment of the undercut portion. It is a figure which shows the reinforcing device, which is shown briefly in a cover area, is arranged between the 1st wall part and the 2nd wall part of a container, and has a 1st reinforcing element and a 2nd reinforcing element. The first reinforcing element is formed by an insert. It is sectional drawing of the cover area of a reinforcing device. It is a top view of the cover area.

FIG. 1 briefly shows the manufacture of an undercut portion of a first wall component 10 of a plastic container, which is not shown in more detail, in a blow molding die 12. The first wall component 10 is molded in a substantially circular region (FIG. 1a) of the blow molding die 12, whereby sliders 14 and 14'arranged on the side surfaces are moved toward each other (FIG. 1b), and at the same time. At a distance from the base, the soft heating material of the first wall component 10 is deformed, thereby forming an undercut portion. Two or more sliders may be used, which are arranged on circles at equal or unequal circumferential spacing to form circular segmented regions of undercuts, respectively.

Instead, the mold component 16 shown in FIG. 2 may be used to manufacture the undercut portion. The mold part is annular due to the central through hole 18 that determines the diameter of the undercut portion. The mold component 16 is inserted into the blow molding mold before the start of the blow molding process at a place where the undercut portion is intended to be manufactured. When molding the first wall component, the mold component 16 is arranged between the blow molding mold and the outer surface of the first wall component. The mold component 16 has three inwardly facing partial circular ribs 20, 20', 20'' at a distance from the virtual base surface, and the material of the first wall component is around the ribs. Flow, the ribs form three corresponding undercuts on the inside (inner surface) of the first wall component (see FIG. 3). After blow molding, the mold part is effectively molded into the first wall part and therefore remains on the container. Therefore, it is a non-reusable sacrificial part.

FIG. 3 shows a view of the inside (inner surface) of the first wall component of the container having the undercut portion formed by the three undercut portions 22, 22 ″ and 22 ″. The undercut portion is formed by one of the two methods described above.

FIG. 4 shows an insert 24 and an annular body 26 configured as a tank module. The insert 24 and the annular body 26 are located in a pre-mounted or partially mounted state in which a part of the floor-side insert 24 is partially inserted into the space formed inside the ring and the two parts are held together. doing. In its free-end region or floor-side end, the annular body 26 has a plurality of outwardly partitioned holding ribs 28 around which, as can be seen, undercut portions 22, 22. It has a diameter d smaller than the diameter D of the inscribed circle of', 22''. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the region of the annular body 26 provided with the holding rib 28 is inserted into the undercut portion through the undercut portions 22, 22', 22'' to the first wall component. May be good. Of course, the annular body 26 and the insert 24 may be installed separately or stacked in this sequence at the undercut portion.

FIG. 5 shows a combination of the insert 24 and the annular body 26 inserted in the undercut portion. The insert is pushed in the direction of the first wall component 10 from this intermediate position. At that time, the region of the holding rib 28 of the annular body 26 expands apart, and the holding rib 28 is introduced into the undercut. At the same time, as shown in FIG. 6, the locking projection 30 engages the complementary through hole 32 in the cylindrical wall of the annular body 26 on the outer surface of the portion of the insert 24 on the floor side, thereby causing the annular body 26 to engage. It is fixed to the undercut portion, and the insert 24 is fixed to the annular body 26. The dimensions of the undercut portion, the annular body 26 and the insert 24 are selected so that the insert is placed in the first wall component 10 with substantially no gap.

FIG. 7 is a reinforcing device arranged between the first wall component 10 and the second wall component 34 facing the first wall component 10, and is substantially formed as the first reinforcing element and the second reinforcing element 36 by the above-mentioned insert 24. Reinforcement elements are shown. The second reinforcing element 36 is provided into the container through the opening 40 of the second wall component 34 facing the undercut portion of the first wall component 10 by the tubular coupling portion 38 and into the complementary coupling portion 42 of the insert 24. Will be inserted. When the second reinforcing element 36 is positioned in this way, at the same time, the flange cover 44 of the second reinforcing element 36 surrounds the opening 40 and abuts on the sealing ring 46 as detailed in FIG. The flange cover 44 is pressed against the sealing ring 46 by the closing ring 48, which interacts with a bayonet ring 50 molded into the second wall component 34, eg, a conventional closing ring according to standard SAE J2587. do. The insertion ring 50 is a closing component that projects above the second wall component 34 and thus has a closing component that engages an opening provided in the closing ring 48, which rotates the closing ring 48. This guarantees its lock, while at the same time applying the contact pressure required for the liquid closed chain of the opening 40 to the flange cover 44. FIG. 8 shows a cross section through the container in the region of the flange cover 44, and FIG. 9 is a plan view of the closing mechanism formed by the flange cover 44, the closing ring 48 and the insertion ring 50.

The second reinforcing element 36 can rotate about a longitudinal central axis common to the insert 24. Eventually, the coupling members provided at the coupling portions 38, 42 are lock-engaged with each other so that the two reinforcing elements 24, 36 are coupled together with high tensile strength. Both the connection of the coupling portions 38, 42 and the lock of the closing ring 48 are designed to be openable so that the second reinforcing element can be removed at any time to access the inside of the container and replace, for example, a defective fuel pump.

In summary, the following should be noted. The present invention relates to a container, particularly a plastic fuel container, in which the container enters (penetrates) the interior of the container between the opposing first and second wall components 10, 34 of the container and allows the wall components 10, 34 to penetrate each other. It has a reinforcing device to be combined. The container can receive increased internal pressure without damage. According to the present invention, the reinforcing device has a first reinforcing element 24 arranged on the first wall component 10 and a second reinforcing element 36 arranged on the second wall component 34, and the first reinforcing element 24 and the first reinforcing element 36 are arranged. The two reinforcing elements 36 have connecting portions 38 and 42 that interact with each other, and the second reinforcing element 36 can be connected to the first reinforcing element 24 with high tensile strength. In the connected state, the second wall component is provided by the flange cover 44. Seal the opening 40 of 34.

10 1st wall part 24 1st reinforcing element 34 2nd wall part 36 2nd reinforcing element 38 Joint part 40 Opening 42 Joint part 44 Flange cover

Claims (18)

It ’s a container
It has a reinforcing device that goes inside the container between the opposing first and second wall parts (10, 34) of the container and joins the wall parts (10, 34) to each other.
Receives increased internal pressure without damage,
The reinforcing device has a first reinforcing element (24) arranged on the first wall component (10) and a second reinforcing element (36) arranged on the second wall component (34). The first reinforcing element (24) and the second reinforcing element (36) have an interacting joint portion (38, 42), and the second reinforcing element (36) has a high tensile strength and the first reinforcing element. In a container that can be connected to (24) and, in the connected state, seals the opening (40) of the second wall component (34) with the flange cover (44).
The first reinforcing element (24) is fixed to the undercut portion of the first wall component (10) via an intervening annular body (26) .
The annular body (26) has a plurality of outward-facing holding ribs (28) on the wall side of the container, the free end of which is attached to the annular body (26) of the first reinforcing element (24). A container that is located on a circle prior to its engagement and whose diameter d is smaller than the diameter D of the circle that determines the free inner diameter of the undercut portion. The container according to claim 1, wherein the flange cover (44) of the second reinforcing element (36) is arranged on an outer surface of the container. The opening (40) of the second wall component (34) is an insert ring embedded in the second wall component (34), and is fastened to protrude outward on the second wall component (34). The container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the container is surrounded by an insert ring (50) having a part. A closing ring (48) is provided, which interacts with the fastening component of the insert ring (50), surrounds the flange cover (44) of the second reinforcing element (36), and the second wall. The container according to claim 3, wherein the outer edge of the opening (40) of the part (34) is pressed. The sealing body (46) is arranged between the flange cover (44) of the second reinforcing element (36) and the outer edge of the opening (40) of the second wall component (34). The container according to claim 4. Any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first reinforcing element (24) is configured as a pot-type insert, particularly as a tank module including a fuel container and a fuel pump arranged therein. The container described in the section. The undercut portion of the first wall component (10) is a slider that acts on the first wall component (10) from the outside, and is a slider (12) movably arranged on a blow molding die (12). The container according to claim 1, wherein the container is manufactured in a blow molding die (12) by 14, 14'). The first wall component (10) according to claim 1, wherein the undercut portion is manufactured by a mold component (16) inserted into a blow molding die (12). container. The container according to any one of claims 7 to 8, wherein the undercut portion has a substantially circular structure. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the undercut portion comprises at least two separate portions. The annular body (26) has a cylindrical wall portion with a through hole (32), to which a locking projection (30) on the outer wall portion of the first reinforcing element (24) can be engaged. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 10. The outer wall portion of the first reinforcing element (24) having the locking projection (30) is of the annular body (26) having the through hole (32) from the diameter D of the free inner diameter of the undercut portion at most. The container according to claim 11 , wherein the container has a substantially cylindrical structure having a diameter obtained by reducing the thickness of the wall portion. In a method for reinforcing a container having first and second wall parts (10, 34) facing each other so that the container can receive increased internal pressure without damage.
-The first reinforcing element (24) of the reinforcing device is fixed to the undercut portion of the first wall component (10) via the intervened annular body (26), and the annular body (26) is a container. On the wall side, it has a plurality of outward-facing holding ribs (28) whose free ends are located on a circle prior to the engagement of the first reinforcing element (24) with the annular body (26). The diameter d of the circle is smaller than the diameter D of the circle that determines the free inner diameter of the undercut portion.
-Opening (40) in which the joint portion (38) of the second reinforcing element (36) of the reinforcing device is provided in the second wall component (34) and aligned with the undercut portion of the first wall component (10). ) Is engaged with the complementary connecting portion (42) of the first reinforcing element (24).
A method characterized in that the flange cover (44) of the second reinforcing element (36) seals the opening (40) of the second wall component (34). The closing ring (48) is an insert ring embedded in the second wall component (34) and is connected to a fastening component of the insert ring (50) surrounding the opening (40).
The flange cover (44) of the second reinforcing element (36) is pressed against the second wall component (34) and is arranged between the second wall component (34) and the flange cover (44). The method according to claim 13 , wherein the opening (40) is sealed by sealing together with the sealing body (46). The undercut portion is a mold inserted into the blow molding die (12) by the slider (14, 14') of the blow molding die or into the blow molding die (12) in the blow molding die (12). The method according to claim 13 or 14 , wherein the part (16) is molded into the first wall part (10). The container according to claim 5, wherein the sealing body (46) is a sealing ring made of an elastomer material. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 12 , wherein the intervened annular body (26) is formed separately from the first reinforcing element (24). The method according to any one of claims 13 to 15 , wherein the intervened annular body (26) is formed separately from the first reinforcing element (24).

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